A guide to growing beautiful gardens in drought-prone areas utilizing minimal water for maximum results.
part one: DRINK UP the beauty & ingenuity of a water-saving garden
5
+ dry-garden journey to a courtyard oasis 9
+ zen inspiration for a concrete jungle 12
+ embracing the desert for outdoor living 14
+ holding on to every drop of rain 17
+ painting a dry slope with color 20
+ bold foliage takes center stage 22
+ evoking water in a dry garden 25
part two: make your garden a WATER SAVER, not a WATER GUZZLER
29
1 hold that liquid gold 31
2 think saltines: choose permeable paving 59
3 irrigation without irritation 69
4 the nitty-gritty on soil and mulch 85
5 throw some shade and shoot the breeze 101
part three: PLANTING the water-saving garden 113
6 lose the lawn 115
7 grow native-but enjoy well-adapted plants too 133
8 ripple-zone planting and rethinking lush 141
9 timing Is everything: when to plant 147
10 hot pots: saving water in container and balcony gardens 153
part four: oasis or mirage? creating the ILLUSION of water in the
garden 163
11 the water feature as a symbol of abundance 165
12 water-evoking plants 171
13 squeezing water from stone 183
part five: 101 PLANTS for water-saving gardens 195
acknowledgments 223
recommended resources 224
photography and design credits 226
index 229
PAM PENICK is a garden designer, award-winning blogger, and the author of Lawn Gone! She is a contributor to such magazines as Fine Gardening, Organic Life, and Garden Design, and has received several writing awards from the Garden Writers Association. She lives and gardens in water-challenged Austin,Texas.
"Penick (Lawn Gone!) proves that conserving water does not
mean giving up gardening with her engaging, instructing, and
nudging treatise. She approaches the politics of water conservation
firmly and frankly, especially in her powerful introduction,
asserting that 'there's no one "right way" to plant a garden that
saves water.'...Penick is practical and reassuring throughout,
convincing readers that vibrant water-saving gardens are
viable."
- Publishers Weekly
"In an era of drought and unpredictable weather patterns, THE
WATER-SAVING GARDEN could not come at a better time. With striking
photographs and a designer's eye, Penick shows us just how gorgeous
a water-wise garden can be. This is the must-have garden
book of the year!"
- Amy Stewart, author of The Drunken Botanist and Wicked
Plants
"For those interested in both beautiful gardens and being good
stewards of our precious water resources, The Water-Saving
Garden is a timely must-read."
- Jim Peterson, Publisher, Garden Design Magazine
"Packed with design inspiration as well as practical advice, this
timely book is a much-needed resource on creating and maintaining
beautiful gardens with less water."
- Susan Morrison, Landscape designer and co-author of Garden Up!
Smart Vertical Gardening for Small Spaces
"From eye-popping design-regardless of budget-to nitty-gritty DIY
details, The Water-Saving Garden takes us down the creative
path to gorgeous gardens that spare the water and pump up our
style. Purpose, practicality, and passion: it's all right
here."
- Linda Lehmusvirta, Producer of Central Texas Gardener on
Austin PBS
"The Water-Saving Garden blends a passionate homage to
water's importance for all life with practical, detailed advice
about using less of it in the garden. Illustrations show enticingly
diverse gardens and water-wise alternatives to lawns."
- Evelyn Hadden, author of Hellstrip Gardening and
Beautiful No-Mow Yards
"In The Water-Saving Garden, Pam Penick repositions
water-conscious gardens as a central concern for all gardeners.
Rich with inspiring examples and sage advice, this book boldly
declares that water-wise gardens no longer need to be about
sacrifice or compromise, but pleasure and abundance. An excellent
resource for gardens in any climate."
- Thomas Rainer,
landscape architect and co-author of Planting in a Post-Wild
World
"We all need access to nature for our well-being. Pam
Penick has written a useful guide for creating beautiful gardens
where saving water naturally follows."
- Steve Martino, landscape architect
"In an era of drought and unpredictable weather patterns, The
Water-Saving Garden could not come at a better time. With striking
photographs and a designer's eye, Penick shows us just how gorgeous
a water-wise garden can be. This is the must-have garden
book of the year!"
-Amy Stewart, author of The Drunken Botanist and Wicked
Plants
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